GETTING OUT AT THE RIGHT TIME
OFTEN the greatest dilemma facing a professional sportsperson is the timing of when to walk away. No-one ever wants too feel that he’s hung on too long.
The Proteas certainly don’t have a history of graceful retirement. Former captain Graeme Smith chose 10pm on a Monday evening mid-way through a series-deciding Test against Australia at Newlands. Mark Boucher’s was taken out of his safe hands due to a freak eye injury, while Jacques Kallis opted for Kingsmead of all places to walk away from the game.
And there’s AB de Villiers, of course, who still doesn’t know whether he actually is retired or not. In recent times, perhaps, it has only been Shaun Pollock and Morne Morkel that have exited with any form of poise.
My fear is that the current crop of South African cricketers in the departure lounge may not catch their flight in time. Although JP Duminy and Imran Tahir will hang up their ODI boots after the Australian clash on Saturday, there is still uncertainty surrounding Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn’s future.
Steyn missed the entire World Cup when he returned home mid-way through the campaign due to a recurring shoulder injury. Proteas team doctor and manager Mohammed Moosajee was confident that Steyn would make yet another comeback.
Regardless if Steyn’s creaking body mends fully, I don’t believe that he should play another ODI. Having recently celebrated his 36th birthday, the chances of the fast bowler being in India in four years time is slim to none.
The Proteas need to begin their “Vision 2023” process immediately and a new generation needs to be afforded every opportunity to succeed.
Hashim Amla’s comments the past weekend are concerning. Amla was back to his glorious best against Sri Lanka. There are few better sights in world cricket than an in-form Amla taking the ball from off-stump and flicking the ball through mid-wicket. After his undefeated 80, Amla, though, was asked directly about his retirement.
“I don’t know. Once the World Cup is done, I’ll get home and chill with the family. I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fit,” he said.
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis was vague about the veteran opener’s future.
“He said he wants to keep going, so I think you leave it to a great player to make that decision himself,” Du Plessis said of Amla, who now averages 49.46 over 181 ODIs.
“I see great players almost planning their own exit so if Hash is doing well and he still wants to play, he will keep playing.
“Performances would be important for him, as with any of us, to make sure that he is consistently putting the runs on the board when you are competing with someone else.
“There will be a sitting down, I’m sure, after this World Cup where whoever decides what’s the way forward, and that discussion will happen then.”
Amla and Steyn are two of the greatest players ever to represent the Proteas.
They deserve to exit benevolently. Hopefully, whoever is having that “discussion” is not guided by sentiment and rather common sense.